Storage material handling system

ABSTRACT

An autonomous transport robot for transporting a payload, the autonomous transport robot includes a payload bed having at least one reference datum surface and at least one payload justification device, the at least one payload justification device being configured to position a payload on the payload bed in substantial contact with the at least one reference datum surface to place the payload in a predetermined position on the payload bed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/640,462, having a filing date of Jul. 1, 2017, which is acontinuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/883,310, having a filingdate of Oct. 14, 2015, which is a non-provisional of and claims thebenefit of United States provisional patent application number62/063,825, filed on Oct. 14, 2014, the disclosures of which areincorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

BACKGROUND 1. Field

The exemplary embodiments generally relate to storage and retrieval ofgoods, more particularly, to the automated storage and retrieval ofgoods.

2. Brief Description of Related Developments

Generally in manual order distribution centers, human pickers generallywalk aisles of the distribution center with a pick sheet listing allitems that are needed to fulfill particular orders. The pick sheet isgenerally generated by a central control system based on the ordersreceived and is often optimized in some way to minimize the amount oftime it takes to retrieve all of the items on the sheet. After one orseveral orders have been picked from the storage aisles, the picker(s)brings the completed orders to a packaging station where the items aretransferred from, for example, totes into shipping cartons.

Automated distribution center picking systems are utilized to save timeand decrease costs associated with manual picking of goods. However,these automated distribution center picking systems generally requirecustomized rack and shelving structures to accommodate a robotic pickingsystem, or conveyors and sorters to aid human picking. These automateddistribution center picking systems are cost prohibitive to manydistribution centers and require a significant investment in bothcapital and time, which is typically on the order of months or over ayear for full installation and system integration to be completed. Inaddition, changes to the automated distribution center picking systemscan be costly as expansion of the automated systems is disruptive andcontraction of the system yields under-utilization of system resourcesor additional disruptive changes.

It would be advantageous to have a material handling and storage systemthat is flexible and adaptive to customer needs and that addresses theissues noted above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing aspects and other features of the disclosed embodiment areexplained in the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a material handling system inaccordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a portion of the material handlingsystem of FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 3A-3C are schematic illustrations of a tote in accordance withaspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a portion of the material handlingsystem of FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 5-8 are order fulfillment flow diagrams in accordance with aspectsof the disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 9-11 are schematic illustrations of portions of the materialhandling system of FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment;

FIGS. 12 and 13 are order fulfillment flow diagrams in accordance withaspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a schematic illustration of a portion of the materialhandling system of FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment;

FIG. 15 is an order fulfillment flow diagram in accordance with aspectsof the disclosed embodiment;

FIGS. 16 and 17 are schematic illustrations of portions of the materialhandling system of FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment;

FIG. 18 is a flow diagram or a portion of an order fulfillment inaccordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIG. 19 is a flow diagram of dynamically changing human pick zones inaccordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIG. 20 is a flow diagram of a picker/robot interface statedetermination in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a schematic illustration of a portion of the materialhandling system of FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment;

FIGS. 22A-22C are schematic illustrations of portions of the materialhandling system of FIG. 1 in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment;

FIG. 23 is a flow diagram of a human pick zone/aisle state determinationin accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment; and

FIG. 24 is a flow diagram of dynamically changing human pick zonesand/or traverse routes in accordance with aspects of the disclosedembodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic block diagram of a material handlingsystem 100 in accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment.Although the aspects of the disclosed embodiment will be described withreference to the drawings, it should be understood that the aspects ofthe disclosed embodiment can be embodied in many forms. In addition, anysuitable size, shape or type of elements or materials could be used.

The material handling system 100, in accordance with the aspects of thedisclosed embodiment, provides a system for automated material handlingin industrial applications wherein at least a portion of the industrialfacility employs human pickers to effect material transport and/orselection from an initial source locations to a final destinationlocated remotely from the initial source location. Examples of suchindustrial applications include manufacturing facilities, manufacturingcenters, warehouse/distributions centers, retail stores, in-processproduct transport and any other suitable industrial application wheregoods are produced, manufactured, stored and/or transferred. In oneaspect, the material handling system provides for the automated orderfulfillment, replenishment and/or returns in, for example, awarehouse/distribution center DC (referred to herein as distributioncenter DC) substantially without changes of the physical infrastructureof the distribution center DC and/or industrial facility. In one aspect,as will be described in greater detail below, the aspects of thedisclosed embodiment allow for the deployment of an automated orderfulfillment system (including managing and controlling the movement ofresources within the automated order fulfillment system) at a fractionof the cost of a majority of conventional automated fulfillment systems,and at a fraction of the install and integration time resulting in asystem that is flexible and adaptive to customer needs. The aspects ofthe disclosed embodiment include, as will be described below, one ormore autonomous mobile robots working/comingling with one or more humanpickers distributed in pick zones of, or in product storage racks tofill orders in a predetermined order pick sequence where an autonomousaspect of the robots 130 allows for staging and sorting of orders to bedone in a variety of places within the facility, allowing for greatersystem flexibility.

As will be seen from the description below, the aspects of the disclosedembodiment are robust to inaccuracies in its projections of systemprogress such as robot(s) 130 and picker(s) 170 completing actionsslower or faster than predicted. Inaccuracies in projections of speedcan yield a reduction of system efficiency such as traffic jams,autonomous mobile robots waiting for human pickers and/or human pickerswaiting for autonomous mobile robots which can be alleviated by, forexample, the management system 101 in the manner described herein suchas by adjusting the schedule and path of each element of the materialhandling system 100 to avoid traffic jams with a goal of minimizing thetime to order fulfillment. As may be realized, the material handlingsystem 100 described herein can be deployed on a single level or canaccess multiple levels in a distribution center DC by navigating (e.g.the robots 130 and/or items carried by the robots 130 may negotiate thelevels) any suitable ramps or lifts connecting the different levels ofthe distribution center DC.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, the material handling system 100 includes amanagement system 101, one or more fixed production and/or storagelocations 110A-110 n (e.g. racks in a distribution center DC), one ormore tote holding locations 120A-120 n, one or more collection totelocations 112A-112 n (which in one aspect are/may be located at anergonomic height for human picker access) and one or more autonomousmobile robots 130 (referred to herein as robots 130). The managementsystem 101 is any suitable distribution center DC management system thatinterfaces with one or more workstations 102 and/or remote browsers 130for obtaining and updating customer orders. The management system 101,in one aspect, also controls the movement and storage of materialswithin the warehouse/distribution center and processes the associatedtransactions, including shipping, receiving, placement of items instorage and picking. The management system 101 includes any suitablecomponents such as for example, a warehouse controller 104, anautomation controller 105 and one or more database/memory 106. Thewarehouse controller 104, in one aspect, directs the real-timeactivities within the distribution center DC. The automation controller105, in one aspect, provides tote picking and placing commands to therobots 130 for fulfilling customer orders and/or replenishment of itemswithin the distribution center DC. The one or more database/memory 106includes a pick order 107 associated with each customer order (or anumber of customer orders where the orders are batch picked) and aschedule of human pickers 108 associated with one or more customerorders. One or more of the pick order 107 and schedule of human pickers108 defines the predetermined order pick sequence. For example, themanagement system 101 determines an optimum sequence for the one or moreautonomous mobile robots 130 and pickers 170 to fill orders so as tominimize an amount of time necessary to fill an order based on anysuitable criteria such as that described below. In one aspect, themanagement system 101 includes a material handling robot trafficcontroller and scheduler 166 (which in one aspect is part of one or moreof the warehouse controller 104 and the automation controller 105) thatsubstantially knows where all of robots 130 are. In one aspect, thematerial handling robot traffic controller and scheduler 166substantially knows where all of robots 130 and the pickers are. Inanother aspect, the material handling robot traffic controller andscheduler 166 substantially knows where all of robots 130, the pickersand other vehicles, such as human or robotically operated forklifts/fork trucks are. The material handling robot traffic controllerand scheduler 166 is, in one aspect, optimized for the material handlingsystem 100 where the robot 130 and the picker 170 operations are coupled(e.g. where the robot waits for the picker or vice versa in order tocomplete a transaction). In this aspect the material handling system 100schedules actions to minimize wait time, with a goal of minimizingoverall order fulfillment time. In another aspect the material handlingrobot traffic controller and scheduler is optimized for the materialhandling system 100 where the robot 130 and the picker 130 operationsare de-coupled via a tote that both the picker 170 and robot 130 haveindependent access to. In this aspect the robot 130 does not wait forthe picker 170 and vice versa in order to complete a transaction. Inthis aspect, for example, the management system 101 schedules actions ofthe picker 170 independent of, but in coordination with the robot 130and avoids congestion in the aisle-ways with a goal of minimizingoverall order fulfillment time. In another aspect, the picker 170 is notscheduled at all, but rather just attends to robots 130 (that are e.g.,scheduled for transporting items) that are waiting for humaninteraction, such as a pick action, at any point in the warehouse.

The one or more fixed production and/or storage locations 110A-110 n aredistributed in a storage space SP of the distribution center DC in apredetermined ordered configuration. Referring also to FIG. 2, each ofthe one or more fixed production and/or storage locations 110A-110 nincludes storage racks SR having an array of storage spaces SS on whichstored items 220 are located. In one aspect, the stored items 220 arestored in totes (which, in one aspect, are substantially similar toorder or collection totes 113A-113 n) or any other suitable containerlocated in the array of storage spaces SS. Each of the one or more fixedproduction and/or storage locations 110A-110 n includes at least onehuman pick zone 111A-111 n. As described herein, pickers 170 arestationed in respective human pick zones 111A-111 n such that one ormore pickers 170 stationed in a respective human pick zone 111A-111 n isresponsible for all picking operations within that human pick zone111A-111 n. The human pick zone 111A-111 n, in one aspect, aredynamically variable and are defined by the material handling robottraffic controller and scheduler 166 or any other suitable component ofthe management system 101 and describes an area which is flexible andadaptable as determined by the needs of the distribution facility DC andthe orders that are to be processed at any given time. In one aspect thehuman pick zones 111A-111 n are dynamically defined so as to change insize, shape and location depending on, for example, items to be picked,a number of human pickers 170 available, and/ or any other suitablecriteria. In one aspect, the human pick zones 111A-111 n are dynamicallyvariable depending on, for example, a location at which a stored item isto be picked from storage, a location of a robot traverse route, and/ora location of a human picker 170. For example, as described herein, themanagement system 101 knows or otherwise tracks a location of thepickers 170 and/or the robots 130. Referring to FIGS. 4 and 19, in oneaspect the human pick zones 111A-111 n are defined so that picker 170Ais originally assigned to human pick zone including human pick zones111A and 111B, picker 170B is originally assigned to human pick zonesincluding human pick zones 111C and 111D, and picker 170C is originallyassigned to human pick zones including human pick zones 111 n (FIG. 19,Block 1900). As orders are fulfilled the pickers move from one area oftheir assigned pick zone to other areas of their assigned pick zone suchthat, in one aspect, it is inefficient for a picker to traverse anentire respective pick zone to pick an item when another picker islocated closer to the item to be picked. For example, picker 170A movesto collection tote location 112A to pick stored item 220A while anotherorder calls for the picking of stored item 220D at or about the timepicker A is scheduled to pick item 220A. The management system 101 isconfigured to dynamically redefine (which includesrelocating/resizing/reassigning) the human pick zone for picker 170B,(which is located at for example, collection tote location 112B) toinclude human pick zone 111B in which stored item 220D is located (FIG.19, Block 1910). As may be realized, while the previous example, ofdynamically changing the human pick zones is based on a proximity of apicker relative to a stored item to be picked, in other aspects thehuman pick zones 111A-111 n are resized and relocated based on anysuitable predetermined characteristics of an order which include, butare not limited to, an availability of a picker 170, an availability ofa robot 130, availability of stored items, or any other suitable ordercharacteristics.

Each of the at least one human pick zone 111A-111 n is arranged forhuman picker access to pick or place items from the fixed productionand/or storage locations 110A-110 n which are arrayed in the at leastone human pick zone 111A-111 n. Each of the at least one human pick zone111A-111 n includes at least one collection tote station or location112A-112 n in which one or more collection totes are located to receivepicked stored items from human picker(s) 170. The one or more collectiontotes (an example of which is illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3C) is configuredto receive or will receive articles inbound to the fixed productionand/or storage locations 110A-110 n, hold a collection of articles,and/or become a collection of articles. The one or more collection totesare, in one aspect, any suitable container/tote associated with astore/customer order and/or a replenishment order of the distributioncenter/industrial facility. In one aspect the collection tote locationis one or more of an aisle collection location (see locations 112A-112Cin FIG. 4), a rack collection location (see location 112D in FIG. 4), apayload support 132 of the robot 130 and any other suitable placeconfigured to hold a tote. In one aspect, the collection tote locations112A-112 n are dynamically variable according to, for example, apredetermined characteristic of an order where the predeterminedcharacteristic of the order is, for example, a location of a storeditem, a location of a picker 170, a location of a robot 130, a path ortraverse route P of a robot, a quantity of an item, or any othersuitable characteristic of the order. The location of the collectiontote locations 112A-112 n, based on the predetermined characteristic ofthe order is communicated to one or more of the robot 130 and picker 170by, for example, the management system 101 in any suitable manner. Asmay be realized, in one aspect, there are more than one collection totelocation 112A-112 n within a common human pick zone 111A-111 n.

In one aspect each of the human pick zones 111A-111 n are integrallycoupled to at least one collection tote location 112A-112 n locatedproximate to each of the human pick zones 111A-111 n. It should beunderstood that while the pickers 170 are described herein as beinghuman pickers in other aspects the pickers 170 are robotic pickers 170Rcommunicably connected to the management system 101 (FIGS. 1 and 21). Inone aspect, the material handling system 100 includes both human pickers170 and robotic pickers 170R where the human pickers 170 and/or roboticpickers 170R pick alone or in combination with each other in the pickzones. In one aspect, the robotic pickers 170R may be the robots 130 orother robotic vehicles, and/or manipulators, with suitable structure,such as robotic manipulators configured to pick items from storage andplace the items in collection totes at collection tote locations and/orin collection totes carried by other robots 130 in a mannersubstantially similar to that described herein with respect to humanpickers 170. In other aspects, the robotic picker 170R places the itemspicked from storage in a collection tote carried by the robotic picker170R for transfer to any suitable location within the material handlingsystem 100, such as a collection tote location or a packing workstation.The robotic pickers 170R may mix and/or interface, within a pick zone orin different pick zones (e.g. some pick zones are human pick zones whileother pick zones are robotic picker pick zones where the robotic pickerpick zones may be adjacent human pick zones, and/or other pick zones aremixed pick zones having both human pickers 170 and robotic pickers 170R)with human pickers 170 in a coupled or uncoupled manner substantiallysimilar to that described herein with respect to robots 130 while inother aspects the management system 101 is configured to change a statusof a human pick zone to a robotic picker pick zone effecting operationof the robotic picker in a respective pick zone. In one aspect, thehuman pickers 170 and/or robotic pickers 170R are dispatched and/orlocated at various locations within the distribution center DC such asfor example, within one or more of the human picking zones 110A-110 n.Based on, for example, the orders received, the management system 101informs the human pickers 170 in any suitable manner (e.g. auralcommunication and/or visual communication) of a list of stored items 220to pick. The picking of these stored items 220 may also be an orderedpick according to a sequenced pick order 107 so as to correspond with alocation of one or more robots 130 as described below. The human pickers170 pick the identified stored items and place them in, for example, atote 113 disposed at a collection tote location 112A-112 n.

The one or more robot 130 works with or otherwise comingles with one ormore human picker 170. In accordance with other aspects of the materialhandling system 100, the robot(s) 130 and human pickers 170 may bedecoupled as will be described below. Further, for example, decouplingthere between may be such that there is minimum or no comingling ofrobot(s) 130 and human pickers 170, though both the robot(s) 130 andhuman pickers 170 may share the storage and/or picking space. Each robot130 includes a frame 130F forming a payload support 132. The payloadsupport is configured to support or otherwise hold, for example, a toteor other suitable container 113 (FIGS. 3A-3C) which in one aspect issubstantially similar to the totes 113A-113 n. Each robot 130 includesan end effector 133 connected to the frame 130F and configured totransfer one or more totes 113 between the payload support 132 and anysuitable location such as the collection tote location 112A-112 n, thestorage spaces SS and/or a tote holding station or location 120A, 120B .. . 120 n (such as a tote storage location, a pack and ship area/orderfulfillment collection zone or any other location where a tote is held)as will be described below. The end effector 133 has one or more degreesof freedom and in one aspect the end effector has two degrees of freedomsuch as for example, vertical movement and at least translation alongone horizontal axis for transferring a tote to and from the robot 130.In other aspects the end effector has three degrees of freedom such as,for example, vertical movement and translation along two substantiallyorthogonal horizontal axes (fore/aft or side to side relative to a robotframe of reference) for transferring a tote to and from the robot 130. Adrive section 131 is connected to the frame 130F and is configured toeffect movement of the robot 130 through the distribution center DC, asdescribed herein, and to effect operation of the end effector fortransferring totes 113 to and from the payload support 132. A controller134 is connected to the frame 130F for controlling operation of therobot 130 as described herein while a communication module 135 providescommunication between the controller 134 and, for example, theautomation controller 105 or any other suitable component of themanagement system 101. In one aspect the robot 130 includes a userinterface UI connected to the controller 134 to convey, for example,picking instructions or any other suitable information to a picker 170as described below.

In one aspect the controller 105 of the robot 130 includes any suitablenavigation and mapping and/or obstacle avoidance to allow the robot 130to move throughout the distribution center DC. Examples of suitablenavigation and mapping and/or obstacle avoidance are found in UnitedStates patent application Ser. No. 13/285,511 filed Oct. 31, 2011 andentitled “Methods and Systems for Automated Transportation of Itemsbetween Variable Endpoints” (now U.S. Pat. No. 9,147,173 issued on Sep.29, 2015), the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference hereinin its entirety. In one aspect the robot 130 includes any suitablesensors 134S for detecting any suitable guidance markers/beacons 14(referred to herein as markers 14) located throughout the distributioncenter DC. Referring to FIG. 2, in one aspect the markers 14 are locatedon one or more of a robot travel surface TS (see marker 14A) of thedistribution center DC (e.g. where the travel surface TS is a floor or atravel surface elevated above the floor), a rack SR (see markers 14B,14C) of the one or more fixed production and/or storage locations110A-110 n and any other suitable location of the distribution centerDC. In one aspect the markers 14 are optical, capacitive, inductive orany other suitable markers that are detected with the sensors 134S ofthe robot (which include one or more of an optical sensor, capacitivesensor and inductive sensor).

Where the marker 14 is an optical marker, the marker is an active marker(e.g. an optical emitter) or a passive marker (e.g. a pattern recognizedby, for example, a camera or other sensor of the robot). As may berealized, the optical markers provide a line of sight robot navigationsuch that the robot moves from one marker to another marker and/orfollows a line on, for example, the travel surface TS in a point topoint navigation scheme unless an obstacle is encountered.

In other aspects, one or more of the markers 14 establish a coordinatesystem such that the controller 134 of the robot 130 effects navigationof the robot 130 based on a location of the marker 14 (e.g. the originof the coordinate system) and data provided by one or more encoders of,for example, the drive section 131. Subsequent markers locatedthroughout the distribution center DC, in one aspect, effect averification/recalibration of robot 130 location to account for wheelslip or other odometry inaccuracies.

In other aspects the marker 14 is a radio frequency marker thattransmits any suitable radio frequency that is detected by the sensors134S (which in one aspect includes a radio receiver). As may berealized, the controller 134 is configured to determine a location ofthe robot 130 within the distribution center DC relative to, forexample, one or more of the fixed production and/or storage locations110A-110 n and tote holding locations 120A-120 n based on signalsreceived from and/or the detection of the markers 14.

In still other aspects, the controller 134 includes a coordinate map ofthe distribution center DC (e.g. a simultaneous location and mappingnavigation system) so that navigation of the robot 130 is based on aglobal coordinate reference frame of the distribution center (e.g. theglobal coordinates can be utilized independent of and/or in conjunctionwith the markers 14).

In one aspect the robot 130 includes an obstacle detection system 134Dconnected to the controller 134 for detecting any obstacles such as, forexample, inanimate objects, other robots 130 and/or human pickers 170.In one aspect the obstacle avoidance system 134D includes one or morerange sensors, or other suitable sensors, to detect the inanimateobjects, other robots 130 and/or human pickers 170. The controller 134is configured to change/modify a route or path of travel of the robot130 based on the detection of one or more obstacles so that the robot130 completes task (e.g. picking and/or placing of totes and/orreplenishment of stored items, etc.) assigned to the robot. In oneaspect, human pickers 170 and/or other equipment of the materialhandling system 100 may be outfitted with one or more of transponders,reflectors, or other passive or active signaling devices that areconfigured to indicate to the robot 130 what the obstacle wearing thesignaling device, or to which the signaling device is affixed, is (e.g.a human picker, a storage rack, a tote holding location, a fork lift orother vehicle, etc.). The robot 130 may be configured to performdifferent transactional behaviors depending on the type of obstacle therobot 130 encounters.

As may be realized, the management system 101 (or any suitable componentthereof such as, for example, the automation controller 105) knows,through communication with the robots 130 where each of the robots 130are located within the distribution center DC. The management systemalso knows, in one aspect, where the human pickers 170 are (e.g. basedon for example the schedule of human pickers 108). In another aspect,the management system knows where the pickers 170 and other materialhandling system 100 equipment are located based on, for example, anysuitable sensors or devices (such as those described herein) located onthe picker 170 and/or equipment that can be used to calculate theirposition within the distribution center DC. Accordingly, the managementsystem coordinates comingling of the human pickers 170 and the robots130 based on, for example, orders to be fulfilled while allowing therobots to avoid direct contact with the human pickers.

In one aspect, the management system 101 includes a controller, such asautomation controller 105 and/or warehouse controller 104, that is incommunication with the human pickers 170 and the robots 130. Themanagement system 101 (and its controller(s)) is configured so that themanagement system generates an interface (e.g. a location where atransaction between the pickers 170 and robots 130 occurs directly orindirectly) between the human pickers 170 and the robots 130 in thehuman pick zones 111A-111 n. The management system 101 (and itscontroller(s) is also configured to dynamically selectively determinewhether a state of the interface is to be a coupled interface or adecoupled interface (FIG. 20, Block 2000). In one aspect, thedetermination of the state of the interface is based on, for example, aproximity of a robot 130 or picker 170 from a collection tote location112, a proximity of a robot 130 relative to a picker 170, a number ofpickers 170 versus a number of robots 130 in the material handlingsystem 100 or any other suitable factors that may influence anefficiency of the material handling system 100. For example, when themanagement system 101 selectively determines that the state of theinterface is to be a coupled interface, the human picker 170 meets therobot(s) 130 at, for example, a collection tote location 112, effectinga tote fill at the collection tote location 112 (FIG. 20, Block 2001) asdescribed herein. When, for example, the management system 101determines that the state of the interface is to be a decoupledinterface, the human picker 170 does not meet the robot(s) 130 at, forexample, the collection tote location 112, and the tote fill is effectedat the collection tote location 112 without a human picker(s) meetingthe robot(s) 130 (FIG. 20, Block 2001) as described herein.

Referring to, for example, FIGS. 4 and 9-11 where there are multiplecollection tote locations 112A-112 n the management system 101 maydynamically determine whether each collection tote location 112A-112 nis to be in a coupled or decoupled state based on, for example, thefactors described above (e.g. such as a proximity of a robot 130 orpicker 170 from a collection tote location 112, a proximity of a robot130 relative to a picker 170, a number of pickers 170 versus a number ofrobots 130 in the material handling system 100 or any other suitablefactors). For exemplary purposes only, for any given tote fill, a firstcollection tote location, such as location 112A in FIGS. 4 and 9-11 maybe in an uncoupled state (e.g. a robot 130 picks the collection tote 113at a collection tote location where the human picker 170 has provided apick). The robot 130 (or another robot 130) moves to a second collectiontote location 112B where the management system 101 selects a coupledinterface between the robot 130 and human picker 170 where the humanpicker 170 meets the robot 130 and places a picked item in thecollection tote 113 carried by the robot 130. The robot 130 (or antherrobot 130) may move to another collection tote location 112C which isselected by the management system 101 to be in a coupled or decoupledstate.

In accordance with aspects of the disclosed embodiment, the robots 130are dispatched by, for example, the management system 101 to one or morecollection tote locations 112A-112 n of the one or more fixed productionand/or storage locations 110A-110 n for, at least in part, fulfilling acustomer order. In one aspect the robots 130 are dispatched carrying atote 113 or without carrying a tote 113 as will be seen in the exemplaryoperations of the material handling system 100 described below. In oneaspect, if a robot 130 is dispatched without carrying a tote 113 therobot is instructed to pick up an empty tote 113 from any suitablelocation and then proceed to a collection tote location 112A-112 n,where the robot either picks up a tote 113 already containing a storeditem that was pre-picked by the picker 170, or a picker 170 deposits astored item into the tote 113 that the robot 130 is carrying. In otheraspects, as described below, the robot 130 deposits the tote 113 at anyof the collection tote locations 112A-112 n so that the robot 130actions are decoupled from the picker 170 actions (e.g. the picker 170does not wait for the robot 130 and the robot 130 does not wait for thepicker 170, this may be referred to as “decoupled” operation of therobot 130 and picker 170). As may be realized, the decoupling of therobot from the picker greatly alleviates the scheduling taskrequirements of the management system 101.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 4, one or more paths P are formed withinthe human pick zones 111A-111 n in the storage space SP, along which therobots 130 transport tote(s). The one or more paths P connect the totecollection locations 112A-112D that correspond to a pick order 107 andin which the pickers pick and place items from storage. The paths areformed in any suitable manner, such as by the management system 101 andare, in one aspect, modified by the robots 130 such as when an obstacleis encountered along the path P. In one aspect, the pickers aredispatched and/or located at various predetermined locations within thedistribution center. In one aspect the pickers stay in and around therespective predetermined locations in a “zone picking” function whereone or more pickers are assigned to a human picking zone 111A-111 n. Inone aspect a robot 130 travels along the one or more paths P andcollects stored items 220A-220C for one order at a time (according to apick order 170) and brings the order to a tote holding location 120Csuch as a pack and ship area or order fulfillment collection zone. Themanagement system 101 calculates an optimum or non-optimum travel path Pfor the robots 130 and an optimum or non-optimum sequence of operationsfor both the pickers 170 and the robots 130 based, for example, on oneor more of a facility map, orders received, the location of stored itemsto be retrieved, the quantity of stored items to be retrieved, theurgency/priority of items to be retrieved, the number of pickers 170available, the quantity of items that can fit in a tote, the quantity oforders that can fit into a multi-order tote, the number of robots 130available, robot travel velocity within various predetermined portionsof the distribution center DC, average picker velocity within variouspredetermined portions of the distribution center DC, averagepicker/robot interaction time and the aisle ways available for robot andpicker travel. The management system 101, in one aspect, predicts, usinga map of the distribution center DC, picker and robot traffic congestionspots and adjusts robot paths P (and/or human picker paths HP) to avoidthe anticipated congestion points. It is noted that the human pickerpaths HP are generated in, one aspect, in a manner substantially similarto that described herein with respect to the robot paths P. In oneaspect a resource density map is generated by the management system 101where the resource density map (the granularity of which is adjusted asneeded) illustrates or otherwise indicates the density of distributioncenter resources at any suitable predetermined points in time. Themanagement system 101 limits the order density, based on the resourcedensity map, to a level that assures that robots 130 (that operate withheuristics as described above) navigate their way out of traffic jamsand potentially avoid traffic jams altogether.

For example, the management system 101 provides instructions to a robot130 so the robot 130 is dispatched to pick an empty tote 113 from anysuitable tote holding location 120B (FIG. 5, Block 500). In otheraspects, the robot 130 is dispatched already holding a tote 113. Therobot 130, carrying the tote 113 travels to a predetermined location,such as collection tote location 112A (FIG. 5, Block 505). Themanagement system 101 provides a picker 170A with picking instructionsthat indicate a location (e.g. collection tote location 112A) to whichthe picker is to transfer a stored item to the tote 113 (FIG. 5, Block510). With the picker 170A and robot 130 both at the collection totelocation 112A, the picker 170A picks the stored item 220A and transfersthe stored item 220A to the tote 113 carried by the robot 130 (FIG. 5,Block 515). In this aspect, where the tote 113 is carried by the robot130 the payload support 132 of the robot 130 forms the collection totelocation 112A. This can be referred to as “coupled” operation of therobot 130 and picker 170. On another aspect, the picker 170 is notinstructed to go anywhere by the management system. Instead, the robots130 are instructed to go to a location where a pick is needed. Thepicker 170 then looks for waiting robots 130 and walks to a waitingrobot 130. A display on the robot 130 is configured to instruct thepicker 170 what to pick from the storage location and put the pickeditem(s) into the tote 113 carried by the robot 130. In one aspect, wherethe next picker in the associated human pick zone, which may be samepicker 170A and/or a different picker, is to transfer another storeditem to the tote 113 a subsequent pick location is communicated to thenext picker by one or more of the robot 130 and the management system101. Where the pick instructions are communicated to the picker 170A bythe robot 130 the user interface UI of the robot 130 indicates, forexample, one or more of a pick location, a stored item to be picked andquantity to be picked. The picker 170A transfers a stored item from thesubsequent pick location to the tote and so on (e.g. blocks 515 and 520in FIG. 5 are repeated until there are no further stored items in thepick order 107 assigned to a picker in an associated pick zone to pick).Where there are no more assigned stored items for the next picker in theassociated pick zone, such as picker 170A, to pick the robot 130 travelsto another picker 170B at another collection tote location 112B (FIG. 5,Block 525) where blocks 515 and 520 in FIG. 5 are repeated to transferat least stored item 220B to the tote 113 until there are no furtherstored items in the pick order 107 assigned to picker 170B to pick. Inthe example illustrated in FIG. 4, there are three collection totelocations 112A-112C at which a respective picker 170A-170C transfers arespective stored item 220A-220C to a common tote 113 that is carried bya single robot 130 (e.g. the robot is common robot to the picklocations) however, in other aspects any suitable number of stored itemsmay be transferred to the tote at any suitable number of collection totelocations. In other aspects, the single robot 130 transport the commontote 113 to each collection tote location 112A-112 n corresponding to astore and/or customer pick order. In still other aspects, more than onerobot 130 transports the common tote 113 to each collection totelocation 112A-112 n corresponding to the store and/or customer pickorder.

When the pick order 107 is complete (e.g. there are no more stored itemsto pick and the order is completed) the robot 130 delivers the tote 113to a tote holding location 120C such as a pack and ship area or orderfulfillment collection zone for fulfillment of the order (FIG. 5, Block530). As may be realized in the aspects of the disclosed embodimentdescribed herein, upon arrival at the tote holding location 120C such asthe pack and ship area or order fulfillment collection zone, the robot130 presents the tote 113 to a person (while the tote remains on therobot) at the tote holding location 120C, drops the tote off at the toteholding location 120C, and/or interacts with other automated machineryat the tote holding location 120C for fulfilling the customer order. Asmay also be realized, upon completion of the picker tasks the managementsystem 101 provides instructions to the pickers 170A-170C forreassignment (e.g. for transferring items for another order to anothertote carried by another robot) (FIG. 5, Block 540). Similarly, the robot130 receives instructions from the management system 101 to recharge apower supply of the robot (FIG. 5, Block 535) or to retrieve anothertote for fulfillment of another order.

Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 4 in one aspect the robot 130 places thetote in a collection tote location 112A-112D that is not located on therobot 130 for transfer of stored items from the storage spaces SS to thetote 113. In this aspect, the collection tote location is one of anaisle collection location 112A-112C, a rack collection location 112D ora combination thereof or any other suitable off-robot tote holdinglocation. For example, the management system 101 provides instructionsto a robot 130 so the robot 130 is dispatched to pick an empty tote 113from any suitable tote holding location 120B based on, for example, arobot traverse status (e.g. a status of robot movement including robotimpediments and/or robot advancements along the path P) (FIG. 6, Block500). The robot 130, carrying the tote 113 travels/traverses to apredetermined location, such as collection tote location 112A and placesthe tote at the collection tote location 112A (FIG. 6, Block 605). Themanagement system 101 provides a picker 170A with picking instructionsthat indicate a location (e.g. collection tote location 112A) to whichthe picker is to transfer a stored item to the tote 113 (FIG. 5, Block510). With the picker 170A and tote 113 both at the collection totelocation 112A, the picker 170A picks the stored item 220A and transfersthe stored item 220A to the tote 113 (FIG. 5, Block 615). In one aspect,where the next picker in the associated human pick zone, which may bethe same picker 170A and/or a different picker, is to transfer anotherstored item to the tote 113 a subsequent pick location is communicatedto the next picker by the management system 101. The picker transfers astored item from the subsequent pick location to the tote and so on(e.g. blocks 615 and 520 in FIG. 6 are repeated until there are nofurther stored items in the pick order 107 assigned to a picker in anassociated pick zone to pick). Where there are no more assigned storeditems for the next picker in the associated pic zone, such as picker170A, to pick the robot 130 retrieves the tote 113 from the collectiontote location 112A (FIG. 6, Block 625) and delivers the tote 113 toanother collection tote location 112B (FIG. 5, Block 640) where blocks615 and 520 in FIG. 6 are repeated to transfer at least stored item 220Bto the tote until there are no further stored items in the pick order107 assigned to picker 170B to pick. As noted above, in the exampleillustrated in FIG. 4, there are three tote collection locations112A-112C at which a respective picker 170A-170C transfers a respectivestored item 220A-220C to a common tote 113 however, in other aspects anysuitable number of stored items may be transferred to the tote at anysuitable number of collection tote locations. When the pick order 107 iscomplete (e.g. there are no more stored items to pick and the order iscompleted) the robot 130 delivers the tote 113 to a tote holdinglocation 120C such as a pack and ship area or order fulfillmentcollection zone for fulfillment of the order (FIG. 6, Block 530). As maybe realized, upon completion of the picker tasks the management system101 provides instructions to the pickers 170A-170C for reassignment(e.g. for transferring items for another order to another tote carriedby another robot) (FIG. 6, Block 540). Similarly, the robot 130 receivesinstructions from the management system 101 to recharge a power supplyof the robot (FIG. 6, Block 535) or to retrieve another tote forfulfillment of another order.

In one aspect multiple orders are collected in a common tote 113. Forexample, referring to FIGS. 3A-3C the tote is a configurable tote inwhich one or more containers 360, 361 and/or dividers 362, 363 areplaced for forming cells 350. The management system 101 assigns eachcell 350 to a predetermined stored item of a respective pick order 107so that when the tote is delivered to the tote holding locations, suchas the pack and ship location or order fulfillment collection zone, thedifferent orders are fulfilled with stored items (which are now pickeditems) from cells assigned to the respective orders. For example, wherethe single robot 130 carries a common tote 113 the order fulfillment issubstantially the same as described above with respect to FIGS. 1, 4 and5 however, when items are placed in the tote 113 one or more of themanagement system 101 and the robot 113 indicates which cell the pickeditem is to be placed. For example, where the position of the picked itemwithin the tote 113 is communicated to a picker 170 by the managementsystem 101 the communication is one or more of any suitable aural andvisual communication (such as over a headset or a graphical userinterface worn by the picker. Where the position of the picked itemwithin the tote 113 is communicated to a picker 170 by the robot, thecommunication is also one or more of any suitable aural and visualcommunication presented to the picker by, for example, the userinterface UI of the robot or a pick to light system (which is, in oneaspect, part of the user interface) disposed on the robot 130.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 9-11 variations of the above-describedorder fulfillment operations will be described. For example, FIG. 9illustrates an order fulfillment where items are transferred to a tote113 where the tote is located in both a collection tote location off ofthe robot 130 and a collection tote location on the robot 130. Forexample, the picker 170A is provided with instructions for picking oneor more stored items in a manner substantially similar to that describedabove (FIG. 12, Block 510). The picker 170A transfers the one or morestored items (now referred to as picked items) into the tote 113 locatedat the collection tote location 112A in a manner substantially similarto that described above (with or without an indication of which cell(s)350 of the tote 113 to place the picked item(s) in) (FIG. 12, Block615). A robot 130 is dispatched in a manner substantially similar tothat described above to pick the tote 113 from the collection totelocation 112A (FIG. 12, Block 1220) and travels to another picker 170Bat another collection tote location 112B (FIG. 12, Block 525). The nextpicker in an associated pick zone, such as picker 170B, picks one ormore stored items and transfers the one or more stored items (whichis/are now one or more picked items) into the common tote 113 carried bythe robot 130 in a manner substantially similar to that described above(FIGS. 12, Blocks 515, 520). The robot 130 continues to travel to otherpickers 170C at other collection tote locations 112C until all items inthe pick order 107 are picked and the order is completed. The robot 130transfers the tote 113 to a tote holding location 120 such as a pack andship location or order fulfillment collection zone (FIG. 12, Block 530).The picker(s) 170A-170C are reassigned and the robot 130 is eithercharged or dispatched to fulfill another order as described above (FIG.12, Blocks 535, 540).

FIG. 10 illustrates an order fulfillment where several robots 130A-130Care actively picking, placing and transporting totes 113. Here picker170A is provided with instructions for picking a stored item forplacement in a tote as described above (FIG. 13, Block 510). The picker170A places the stored item in the tote 113 located at collection totelocation 112A. A robot 130A is dispatched to pick the tote 113 from thecollection tote location 112A (FIG. 13, Block 1220) andtransfers/delivers the tote 113 to another collection tote location 112B(FIG. 13, Block 640). Robot 130A is then able to pick another collectiontote 113C from another collection tote location 112E (FIG. 13, Block1220). A next picker in an associated pick zone, such as picker 170B,picks one or more stored items and transfers the one or more now pickeditems to the tote 113 at collection tote location 112B (FIG. 13, Blocks615A and 520) in the manner described above. Another robot 130B isdispatched to pick the collection tote 113 from the collection totelocation 112B (FIG. 13, Block 1220). The robot 130B travels to yetanother collection tote location 112C, with the tote 113 (FIG. 13, Block525) so that another, e.g. next picker in an associated pick zone, suchas picker 170C picks one or more stored items and transfers the one ormore now picked items to the tote 113 at collection tote location 112C(FIG. 13, Blocks 515 and 520) in the manner described above. The robot130B transfers the tote holding the completed order(s) to the toteholding location 120 such as a pack and ship location or orderfulfillment collection zone (FIG. 13, Block 530). As may be realized,multiple orders may be picked simultaneously as described above wherethe tote includes cells 350 into which items for different orders areplaced. The picker(s) are reassigned and the robot is either charged ordispatched to fulfill another order as described above (FIG. 13, Blocks535, 540). As can be seen in FIG. 10, another robot 130C may pick, placeand transport tote 113B in a manner substantially similar to thatdescribed above such that the tote 113B is passed between robots ordelivered substantially directly to the tote holding location 120 by therobot 130C.

FIG. 11 illustrates an order fulfillment with two separate orders beingpicked by two different robots 130A, 130B. Here each robot 130A, 130Bpicks an empty tote 113A, 113B (FIG. 5, Block 500) and travels to one ormore respective collection tote locations (robot 130A travels tocollection tote locations 112A, 112B, 112C and robot 130B travels tocollection tote location 112G) where at least one common picker170A-170C places stored items in the totes 113A, 113B carried by therobots 130A, 130B in a manner substantially similar to that describedabove with respect to blocks 505-525 of FIG. 5. In other aspects thepickers are not common to the robots 130A, 130B. The robots 130A, 130Btransport the totes with the completed orders therein to the toteholding location 120 in a manner substantially similar to that describedabove with respect block 530 of FIG. 5.

As can be seen above, in one aspect, the human pick zones 111A-111 n arenot fixed and are managed by, for example, the management system 101 sothat pickers 170 travel between human picking zones 111A-111 n tooptimize efficiency and to have pickers 170 available where product isstored. In other aspects, the human pick zones 111A-111 n are fixed sothat each human pick zone 111A-111 n has a predetermined number ofpickers 170 therein. As can also be seen above, the storage racks SR arearranged so as to form aisles 90 therebetween where the human pickers170 and the robots traveling along respective paths P, P1 are comingledin the aisles 90. As may be realized, at least a portion of the aisles90, in one aspect, includes an exclusion zone or area EZ within whichthe robot 130 travels and/or which includes picker 170 access to thecollection tote location. In one aspect, the exclusion zone EZ isdynamically located depending on, for example, a path or traverse routeof the robot 130 and a location of the collection tote location withinthe aisle 90. In one aspect, the exclusion zone EZ may correspond to ahuman pick zone 111A-111 n where the robot 130 is restricted fromentering the human pick zone 111A-111 n. In one aspect the managementsystem 101 is configured to select a traverse route for the robot(s) 130based on a status of the picker 170 at one or more pick zones relatedto, for example, a store a/or customer pick order. In one aspect, themanagement system 101 is configured to select aisles 90 without humanpickers 170 located therein for the robot traverse route(s). Forexample, referring to FIG. 21 a bot 130 may deliver, for example, a totefrom a tote holding location 120 to a collection tote location 112. Themanagement system 101 selects the traverse route or path P21 of therobot 130 by determining the status of the human pick zones 111A, 111Bin aisles 90A, 90B (FIG. 23, Block 2300). The management system 101knows the locations of the pickers 170, in the manner described above,such as from any suitable signaling device worn by the picker 170 orthat detects the picker 170 and determines that the human pick zone 111Ain aisle 90A does not have a picker 170 located therein while the humanpick zone 111B in aisle 90B has a picker 170 located therein. Themanagement system 101 changes a state of the aisle 90A (FIG. 23, Block2320) from a human pick zone state to a traverse route state and setsthe aisle state for unrestricted traverse routes (FIG. 23, Block 2330)allowing the robot(s) 130 to travel through aisle 90A. In anotheraspect, where, for example, the management system 101 determines (FIG.23, Block 2300) that the human pick zones 111A, 111B both have a picker170 located therein, the management system 101 may stop the robot 130 atan edge or side 111EG of one of the human pick zones 111A, 111B (FIG.23, Block 2310) and periodically determine the state of the human pickzones 111A, 111B (FIG. 23, Block 2300). Once the management system 101determines that at least one of the human pick zones 111A, 111B (such ashuman pick zone 111A) does not have a picker 170 located therein themanagement system 101 changes a state of, for example, aisle 90A (FIG.23, Block 2320) from a human pick zone state to a traverse route stateand sets the aisle state for unrestricted traverse routes (FIG. 23,Block 2330) allowing the robot(s) 130 to travel through aisle 90A.

Referring to FIGS. 22A-22C, in one aspect, one or more human pick zones111A-111 n and the traverse routes may coexist in a common aisle 90. Forexample, FIG. 22 illustrates an aisle 90 having a storage rack SR alongone side of the aisle 90. The human pick zone 111A is disposed in theaisle 90 adjacent the storage rack SR. The robot 130 traverse route P22is located within the aisle opposite the human pick zone 111A (e.g. thehuman pick zone 111A is disposed between the traverse route P22 and thestorage rack SR). FIG. 22B illustrates an aisle 90 having storage racksSR1, SR2 disposed on opposite sides of the aisle 90. Here, the humanpick zone 170 is located on and forms one side of the aisle 90 and thetraverse route P22 is located on and forms the other side of the aisle90. In this example, the human pick zone 111A is located on and formsthe side of the aisle 90 corresponding to the storage rack SR1, SR2 fromwhich stored items are picked. In the example shown in FIG. 22B thehuman pick zone is located adjacent storage rack SR2 but in otheraspects the position of the human pick zone is dynamically variable. Forexample, the management system 101, in a manner similar to thatdescribed above, is configured to determine a state of the human pickzone 111A within the aisle 90 (FIG. 24, Block 2400). Depending on whichstorage rack SR1, SR2 the stored items are to be picked (e.g. the activestorage rack) the management system 101 changes the location of thehuman pick zone 170 and/or the traverse route P22 (FIG. 24, Block 2410)to define the human pick zone 111A to be located on a side of the aisle90 that corresponds with the active storage rack and defines thetraverse route P22 to be adjacent the inactive storage rack (e.g. therack from which stored items are not being picked). In another aspect,the human pick zones 111A, 111B and the traverse route P22 contiguouslycoexist within a common aisle as illustrated in FIG. 22C. In thisaspect, the aisle 90 has two sides however, each side is divided intoone or more human picking zone sections 111SZ and one or more traverseroute sections 2210 where the human picking zone sections 111SZ and oneor more traverse route sections 2210 are contiguous on a common side ofthe aisle. In this aspect, the management system 101 may determine thateach human picking zone 111A, 111B has a picker 170 located therein(FIG. 24. Block 2400) and change the location(s) of the traverse routeP22 (FIG. 24, Block 2410) so that the traverse route P22 passes throughtraverse route sections 2210. In other aspects, still referring to FIG.22C, the human pick zones 111A, 11B may be located on a common side ofthe aisle so that the traverse route P22 is established along only oneside of the aisle. As mentioned herein, in other aspects, all humanpickers 170 and human pick zones 111A-111 n may be substituted withrobotic pickers and robotic pick zones.

As may be realized, referring to FIG. 14, the material handling system100, in one aspect, also functions to replenish inventory as well asorder returns. In this aspect of disclosed embodiment a picker 170 isdirected by the management system 101 to fill a tote 113 located at atote holding location 120R such as a replenishment station (which in oneaspect is similar to the packing station) with one or more items to beplaced in storage (FIG. 15, Block 1500). In one aspect the tote 113 isfilled with a plurality of the same item, or in other aspects differentitems, in order to re-stock the distribution center. The managementsystem 101 directs the robot 130 to pick the filled tote from the toteholding location 120R (FIG. 15, Block 1510). The robot 130 navigates toa predetermined storage area of the distribution center DC (FIG. 15,Block 1512) and either waits for a picker 170 to pick the tote 113 fromthe robot 130 (FIG. 15, Block 1514) where the picker 170 places the tote113 in a predetermined storage space SS (FIG. 15, Block 1515); placesthe tote 113 in a tote holding location 120, which in this aspect may bea tote collection location 112, (e.g. a drop off location in an aisle orin a storage rack SR) (FIG. 15, Block 1520) where a picker transfers thetote 113 to a predetermined storage space SS (FIG. 15, Block 1525); orthe robot places the tote 113 in a predetermined storage space SS (FIG.15, Block 1530). Where the picker removes the tote 113 from the robot130 or from the tote holding location 120, the picker as directed by themanagement system 101 moves the tote 113 from the robot and/or toteholding location 120 (e.g. drop off location) to the predeterminedstorage space SS on the storage rack SR. As may be realized, in otheraspects, the picker 170 picks one or more items from the tote forplacement in storage, such as within a partially depleted tote 113located in a storage space SS of a storage rack SR.

Referring to FIG. 16, the management system 101 is configured to directthe robots 130 to travel in a travel loop 1600 (e.g. a virtual conveyor)between adjacent fixed production and/or storage locations 110A, 110Bwhere each fixed production and/or storage locations 110A, 110B includesrespective human pick zones 111A-111F. In this aspect, the robots 130travel around the travel loop 1600 to access each of the human pickzones 111A-111F. The robots 130 turn off of the travel loop to enter thehuman pick zones 111A-111F for picking or placing totes in a mannersubstantially similar to that described above. The robots 130 return tothe travel loop 1600 for transporting totes 113 to a tote holdinglocation such as packing and shipping area 120. Referring also to FIG.17, as may be realized, a robot 130 carrying a tote 113 destined for thetote holding location 120 (e.g. packing and shipping location) cantravel along a shunt 1600S to decrease robot travel time along thetravel loop 1600. In one aspect the shunts 1600S are dynamically locatedand are located anywhere along the travel loop 1600 depending on robottraffic along the travel loop 1600. In other aspects the shunts 1600Sare located at substantially fixed areas of the travel loop 1600.

In other aspects of the disclosed embodiment the material handlingsystem 100 directs the robots 130 for the rearrangement of items in thedistribution center DC as inventory levels change to make better use ofthe storage space. For example, the rearrangement of items is based onseasonality, promotions, etc. to position high demand items in locationsthat optimize the pick time/cost.

In one aspect, in the order fulfillment processes described herein, thematerial handling system 100 is robust to disruptions, such as forexample insufficient material quantity and location inaccuracies, thatresult in the inability to fill an order. For example, referring toFIGS. 1, 4 and 18, in one aspect, the management system 101 isconfigured to track, in any suitable manner, a quantity of each item anda location of each item stored in the fixed production and/or storagelocations 110A-110 n (FIG. 18, Block 1800) so that as quantities ofitems are depleted the robot 130 paths P and/or pick order 107 for eachorder to be fulfilled is dynamically changed (FIG. 18, Block 1810). Eachrobot 130 communicates, through for example the communication module135, in any suitable manner with the management system 101 and viceversa so that the robot 130 receives updates to a picking path P and apicking location (e.g. a location of the collection tote location, alocation of a stored item and/or a location of a picker 170) (FIG. 18,Block 1820). Similarly each picker 170 communicates in any suitablemanner with the management system 101 and vice versa so that the picker170 receives updates to a picking location (e.g. a location of thecollection tote location and/or a location of a stored item) (FIG. 18,Block 1830) so that the picker interfaces with a corresponding robot 130and the depleted item is picked from a different location than theoriginally scheduled location (FIG. 118, Block 1835) or the order isscheduled for completion at a later time when the depleted item has beenreplenished or restocked within the distribution center DC (FIG. 18,Block 1840). Where there are insufficient items to fulfill an order(e.g. the items have been depleted during an order fulfillment bypicking those items for another different order), order work in progress(e.g. items already picked and located within, for example, a tote) are,in one aspect, returned to a location in the storage racks SR (FIG. 2)from which they came within the distribution center DC (FIG. 18, Block1850) while in other aspects the work in progress (e.g. the tote holdingthe already picked items) is transported to a tote holding location 120such as a pack and ship location or order fulfillment collection zonefor filling another order that is comprised in part or in full of theitems within the tote (FIG. 18, Block 1855).

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment astorage fill and retrieval system for a storage space includes amultiplicity of fixed storage locations distributed in the storage spacein a predetermined ordered configuration and defining at least one humanpick zone arranged for human picker access to pick, or place, items fromthe fixed storage locations arrayed in the at least one human pick zone,each of the at least one human pick zone having at least one collectiontote location; at least one autonomous mobile robot configured forholding and transporting a tote within the storage space and having anend effector arranged for autonomous transfer of the tote between the atleast one autonomous mobile robot and a tote holding station and betweenthe at least one autonomous mobile robot and a collection tote location;a storage management system communicably connected to the at least oneautonomous mobile robot and configured to associate each autonomousmobile robot of the at least one autonomous mobile robot with a humanpick zone from the at least one human pick zones, each of the relatedhuman pick zones having at least one stored item in the fixed storagelocations, of the related human pick zone, corresponding to a storeand/or customer pick order of the storage management system; wherein theat least one autonomous mobile robot is configured to transport the toteto the collection tote location of each associated human pick zone, andwherein each collection tote location is arranged for human pickeraccess and defines an interface between a human picker in the human pickzone and the at least one autonomous mobile robot.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thestorage management system includes a controller in communication withthe human picker and the at least one autonomous mobile robot, and beingconfigured so that the storage management system generates the interfacebetween the human picker in the human pick zone and the at least oneautonomous mobile robot and selectively determine if a state of theinterface is a coupled interface or a decoupled interface.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment whenthe state of the interface is the coupled interface the human pickermeets the at least one autonomous mobile robot effecting a tote fill atthe collection tote location.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment whenthe state of the interface is the decoupled interface, a tote fill atthe collection tote location is effected without the human picker andthe at least one autonomous mobile robot meeting.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment therelated human pick zones form a path in the store space connecting thecollection tote locations that correspond to the store and/or customerpick order.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment therobot is configured to transport the tote to each collection totelocation along the path.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment therobot transports a common tote to each collection tote locationcorresponding to the store and/or customer pick order.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment acommon robot transports the common tote to each collection tote locationcorresponding to the store and/or customer pick order.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment morethan one robot transports the common tote to each collection totelocation corresponding to the store and/or customer pick order.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thestorage management system associates the common tote with at least onecorresponding order and a corresponding robot so that the common tote istransported to each collection tote location by a common robot.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thecommon tote is partitioned into more than one cell, the common totebeing associated with more than one corresponding order and wherein thestorage management system associates each cell with a differentcorresponding order from the more than one orders associated with thecommon tote.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thestorage management system directs the human picker at each of therelated human pick zone respectively to fill the common tote at thecollection tote location of the related human pick zone with an orderedstored item.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thestorage management system directs the human picker to the respectivecollection tote location based on a robot traverse status along thepath.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thestorage management system determines different traverse routes for theat least one autonomous mobile robot to traverse the path, and whereinthe storage management system selects a traverse route for the at leastone autonomous mobile robot based on a status of the human picker at oneor more of the related human pick zones.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thefixed storage locations are distributed along aisles and the at leastone human pick zone is disposed in the aisles, the storage managementsystem being configured to select aisles without human pickers locatedtherein for the traverse routes.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thefixed storage locations are distributed along aisles and the at leastone human pick zone is disposed in the aisles, and a controller of thestorage management system is configured to determine states of the atleast one human pick zone without human pickers located therein, and setan aisle state for unrestricted traverse routes of the at least oneautonomous mobile robot.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thefixed storage locations are distributed along aisles and the at leastone human pick zone is disposed in the aisles, and the aisles have bothhuman pick zones and bot traverse routes, the storage management systembeing configured to select a state of each aisle and change the state ofthe aisle from the at least one human pick zone to the bot traverseroutes.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thestorage management system is configured to stop the at least oneautonomous mobile robot at an edge or side of the at least one humanpick zone located in the aisle, where the at least one autonomous mobilerobot proceeds when the state of the aisle changes to a traverse routestate.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thestorage management system is configured to stop the at least oneautonomous mobile robot at a collection tote location where the tote islocated at an edge of the related human pick zone, where the at leastone autonomous mobile robot proceeds when the state of the aisle changesto a traverse route state.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thefixed storage locations and the at least one human pick zone aredisposed along aisles where the at least one human pick zone forms oneside of a common aisle and the traverse route forms another side of thecommon aisle.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theat least one human pick zone and the traverse route contiguouslyco-exist within the common aisle and the storage management system isconfigured to selectively switch locations of the at least one humanpick zone and the traverse route within the common aisle

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thestorage management system determines different traverse routes for theat least one autonomous mobile robot to traverse the path, and whereinthe management system selects a traverse route for the at least oneautonomous mobile robot based on a status of the human picker at one ormore of the related human pick zones.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thestorage management system associates the common tote with at least onecorresponding store and/or customer pick order and the common tote istransported to each collection tote location corresponding to the storeand/or customer pick order by more than one robot.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thecollection tote location of each human pick zone is positioned proximateto a side of the human pick zone providing access for the human pickerto pick from the storage locations of the human pick zone.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thesystem further includes a tote holding location that defines an orderfulfillment collection zone, the at least one autonomous mobile robotbeing configured to transport one or more stored items within a tote tothe order fulfillment collection zone.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thecollection tote location is dynamically variable based on apredetermined order characteristic.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thestorage management system is configured to change a status of the atleast one human pick zone to at least one robotic pick zone, the systemfurther comprising at least one robotic picker and the at least onerobotic pick zone is arranged for robotic picker access to pick, orplace, items from the fixed storage locations arrayed in the at leastone robotic pick zone.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment amaterial handling system for a distribution center space includes amultiplicity of fixed production and/or storage locations distributed inthe distribution center space in a predetermined ordered configurationand defining at least one human pick zone arranged for human pickeraccess to pick, or place, items from the fixed production and/or storagelocations arrayed in the at least one human pick zone, the fixedproduction and/or storage locations of each of the at least one humanpick zone are integrally coupled to at least one collection totelocation proximate each human pick zone; at least one autonomous mobilerobot configured for holding and transporting a tote within thedistribution center space and having an end effector arranged forautonomous transfer of the tote between the at least one autonomousmobile robot and a tote holding station and between the at least oneautonomous mobile robot and a collection tote location; an ordermanagement system communicably connected to the at least one autonomousmobile robot and configured to associate each autonomous mobile robot ofthe at least one autonomous mobile robot with a human pick zone frommore than one related human pick zones, of the at least one human pickzone, each of the related human pick zones has a stored item in thefixed production and/or storage locations, of the related human pickzone, corresponding to a pick order of the management system; whereinthe at least one autonomous mobile robot is configured to transport thetote to the collection tote location of each associated human pick zone,and wherein each collection tote location is arranged for human pickeraccess and defines an interface between a human picker in the human pickzone and the at least one autonomous mobile robot.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thecollection tote location is interposed between the at least oneautonomous mobile robot and the fixed production and/or storagelocations of the associated human pick zone.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thecollection tote location defines a tote interface between the at leastone autonomous mobile robot and fixed production and/or storagelocations of the associated human pick zone.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment eachcollection tote location has a tote support defining the tote holdingstation, the support being arranged so that the tote on the support isplaced at an ergonomic height for the human picker.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thecollection tote location is coupled to fixed production and/or storagelocations of the proximate human pick zone by a human picker.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment therelated human pick zones form a path in the distribution center spaceconnecting the collection tote locations that correspond to the storeand/or customer pick order.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theorder management system directs the human picker at each of the relatedhuman pick zone respectively to fill a common tote at the collectiontote location of the related human pick zone with an ordered storeditem.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theorder management system directs the human picker to a respectivecollection tote location based on robot traverse status along the path.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment theat least one autonomous mobile robot is configured to transport the toteto each collection tote location along the path.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thepath is disposed in aisles formed between human pick zones, and humanpickers and robots traversing the aisles along the path are comingled inthe aisles.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment thesystem further includes a tote holding location that defines an orderfulfillment collection zone, the at least one autonomous mobile robotbeing configured to transport one or more stored items within a tote tothe order fulfillment collection zone.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment amethod for operating a distribution center includes providing storagelocations arranged in human pick zones each of which has at least onecollection tote location; generating a schedule of human pickers in thehuman pick zones with a storage management system (MS), the schedule ofhuman pickers corresponding to a pick order; defining, with the storagemanagement system, a path connecting the human pick zones correspondingto the pick order; and routing, with the storage management system, atleast one autonomous mobile robot to traverse the path to the at leastone collection tote location of each corresponding human pick zone basedon the schedule of human pickers.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themethod further includes transporting a common tote with the at least oneautonomous mobile robot and associating, with the storage managementsystem, the common tote with at least one corresponding order and acorresponding autonomous mobile robot so that the common tote istransported to each collection tote location by the a common autonomousmobile robot.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themethod further includes directing, with the storage management system, ahuman picker at each of the corresponding human pick zones to fill thecommon tote at the tote collection location with an ordered stored item.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themethod further includes associating, with the storage management system,the common tote with more than one corresponding order so that at leastone cell of the common tote is associated with a different correspondingorder from the more than one orders associated with the common tote.

In accordance with one or more aspects of the disclosed embodiment themethod further includes associating, with the storage management system,a common tote with at least one corresponding store and/or customer pickorder and transporting the common tote, with more than one autonomousmobile robot, to each collection tote location corresponding to thestore and/or customer pick order.

It should be understood that the foregoing description is onlyillustrative of the aspects of the disclosed embodiment. Variousalternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in theart without departing from the aspects of the disclosed embodiment.Accordingly, the aspects of the disclosed embodiment are intended toembrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances that fallwithin the scope of the appended claims. Further, the mere fact thatdifferent features are recited in mutually different dependent orindependent claims does not indicate that a combination of thesefeatures cannot be advantageously used, such a combination remainingwithin the scope of the aspects of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A storage fill and retrieval system for a storagespace, the system comprising: a multiplicity of fixed storage locationsdistributed in the storage space in a predetermined orderedconfiguration and defining at least one human pick zone arranged forhuman picker access to the fixed storage locations arrayed in the atleast one human pick zone so as to pick, or place, items from the fixedstorage locations arrayed in the at least one human pick zone; at leastone robot picker configured for holding and transporting a tote withinthe storage space and having an end effector arranged for autonomoustransfer of the tote between the at least one robot picker and a toteholding station and between the at least one robot picker and at leastone collection tote location disposed within at least at one human pickzone; and a storage management system including a controller, thestorage management system communicably connected to the at least onerobot picker and configured to associate each robot picker of the atleast one robot picker with a related human pick zone from the at leastone human pick zone, each of the related human pick zones having atleast one stored item in the fixed storage locations, of the relatedhuman pick zone, corresponding to a store or customer pick order of thestorage management system; wherein the at least one robot picker isconfigured to transport the tote to the at least one collection totelocation within each related human pick zone, and wherein the controlleris configured to connect each collection tote location of the at leastone collection tote location and the related human pick zones tocollectively form a robot path, decoupled from a respective human pickerpath of each human picker within a respective related human pick zone,in the storage space connecting the collection tote locations of the atleast one collection tote location that correspond to the store orcustomer pick order.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least onerobot picker is configured to transport the tote to each collection totelocation of the at least one collection tote location along the path. 3.The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one robot picker transportsa common tote to each collection tote location of the at least onecollection tote location corresponding to the store or customer pickorder.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein a common robot pickertransports the common tote to each collection tote location of the atleast one collection tote location corresponding to the store orcustomer pick order.
 5. The system of claim 3, wherein more than onerobot picker transports the common tote to each collection tote locationof the at least one collection tote location corresponding to the storeor customer pick order.
 6. The system of claim 3, wherein the storagemanagement system associates the common tote with at least onecorresponding order and a corresponding robot picker of the at least onerobot picker so that the common tote is transported to each collectiontote location of the at least one collection tote location by a commonrobot picker.
 7. The system of claim 6, wherein the common tote ispartitioned into more than one cell, the common tote being associatedwith more than one corresponding order and wherein the storagemanagement system associates each cell of the common tote with adifferent corresponding order from the more than one orders associatedwith the common tote.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller,in communication with the human picker and the at least one robotpicker, is configured so that the storage management system generatesthe interface between the human picker in the human pick zone of the atleast one human pick zone and the at least one robot picker andselectively determines if a state of the interface is a coupledinterface or a decoupled interface.
 9. The system of claim 8, whereinwhen the state of the interface is the coupled interface, the humanpicker meets the at least one robot picker effecting a tote fill at acollection tote location of the at least one collection tote location.10. The system of claim 8, wherein when the state of the interface isthe decoupled interface, a tote fill at a collection tote location ofthe at least one collection tote location is effected without the humanpicker and the at least one robot picker meeting.
 11. A method foroperating a distribution center, the method comprising: providing amultiplicity of fixed storage locations distributed in a storage spacein a predetermined ordered configuration and defining at least one humanpick zone arranged for human picker access to the fixed storagelocations arrayed in the at least one human pick zone so as to pick, orplace, items from the fixed storage locations arrayed in the at leastone human pick zone; holding and transporting a tote within the storagespace, with at least one robot picker, the at least one robot pickerhaving an end effector arranged for autonomous transfer of the totebetween the at least one robot picker and a tote holding station andbetween the at least one robot picker and at least one collection totelocation disposed within at least at one human pick zone; connecting,communicably, a storage management system, including a controller, tothe at least one robot picker, and associating, with the storagemanagement system, each robot picker of the at least one robot pickerwith a related human pick zone from the at least one human pick zone,each of the related human pick zones having at least one stored item inthe fixed storage locations, of the related human pick zone,corresponding to a store or customer pick order of the storagemanagement system; transporting the tote, with the at least one robotpicker, to the at least one collection tote location within each relatedhuman pick zone; and connecting, with the controller, each collectiontote location of the at least one collection tote location tocollectively form a robot path, decoupled from a respective human pickerpath of each human picker within a respective related human pick zone inthe storage space, connecting the collection tote locations of the atleast one collection tote location that correspond to the store orcustomer pick order.
 12. The method of claim 11, further comprisingtransporting the tote, with the at least one robot picker, to eachcollection tote location of the at least one collection tote locationalong the path.
 13. The method of claim 12, further comprisingtransporting a common tote, with the at least one robot picker, to eachcollection tote location of the at least one collection tote locationcorresponding to one or more of the store and customer pick order. 14.The method of claim 13, further comprising transporting the common tote,with a common robot picker, to each collection tote location of the atleast one collection tote location corresponding to one or more of thestore and customer pick order.
 15. The method of claim 13, furthercomprising transporting the common tote, with more than one robotpicker, to each collection tote location of the at least one collectiontote location corresponding to one or more of the store and customerpick order.
 16. The method of claim 13, further comprising associating,with the storage management system, the common tote with at least onecorresponding order and a corresponding robot picker of the at least onerobot picker, and transporting the common tote to each collection totelocation of the at least one collection tote location with a commonrobot picker.
 17. The method of claim 16, further comprisingpartitioning the common tote into more than one cell, associating thecommon tote with more than one corresponding order, and associating,with the storage management system, each cell of the common tote with adifferent corresponding order from the more than one orders associatedwith the common tote.
 18. The method of claim 11, wherein the storagemanagement system includes a controller in communication with a humanpicker and the at least one robot picker, the method further comprisinggenerating an interface, with the storage management system, between thehuman picker in a human pick zone of the at least one human pick zoneand the at least one robot picker and determining, selectively, if astate of the interface is a coupled or decoupled interface.
 19. Themethod of claim 18, further comprising effecting a tote fill at acollection tote location of the at least one collection tote location,wherein the human picker meets the at least one robot picker, when thestate of the interface is the coupled interface.
 20. The method of claim18, further comprising effecting a tote fill at a collection totelocation of the at least one collection tote location, without the humanpicker and the at least one robot picker meeting, when the state of theinterface is the decoupled interface.